Meet Lisa Morales | Owner of Allegory PR Services and Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Live in Italy Magazine

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lisa Morales and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lisa, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I began Allegory PR Services in 2010 for a couple of reasons. First, because from the time that I was studying business administration at Ryerson University, followed by Cinema Studies at the University of Toronto (the city where I was born), I greatly enjoyed public relations. I find great joy in the written word to influence others and showcase important people, businesses, and events. Secondly, my children were getting older and didn’t need me as much. I’ve always felt that as much as it is a privilege to stay home with your kids, your professional skills should never become obsolete. You never know when you may have to re-enter the workforce, and at this point in time, it was necessary due to the economic recession. Fortunately, my husband’s job was not greatly impacted at this time, but I thought that it was good to have a “Plan B” should we ever need it.

During Covid (at the end of 2020), I started Live in Italy Magazine. I love to travel, and my mom instilled the ‘travel bug’ in me from about the time I began walking. Without being able to travel, I turned to YouTube and found some interesting videos about the 1 Euro Home initiative in Italy. I realized that there was a vast market for people looking to not only buy property in Italy but also change the way they travel. The pandemic taught people to slow down, so “slow” or “authentic” travel is much more important than jam-packed travel itineraries and on-off tour buses. People are also much more sensitive to the carbon impact of over-tourism and foreign real estate development. They want the travel and investment decisions that they make to have a positive impact on the country that they are guests in. This is the foundation of Live in Italy Magazine. We are not just focused on the literal meaning of “live”, but how to learn from the social foundations of the Italian lifestyle that we can adopt in our own lives: namely family, food as not just nutrition, but a way to bring people together, slowing down, and work/life balance.

Do you have a budget? How do you think about personal finances and how do you make lifestyle and spending decisions?
Yes! All businesses need to have a budget. I think that I’ve mastered the art of starting a business with a low budget! I also am mindful of my clients’ marketing budgets. We find ways to DIY or work with limited resources. I think the key to growing is to manage things consistently whether business is good or not so good.

Managing a business is the same as managing your household or personal living expenses. I was brought up by European parents who were impacted by World War II. From an early age, we were frugal. Credit was only used for purchasing a home, and my parents made it their first goal to pay off property. I think one of the simplest budget lessons is to cook your own meals. Both of my parents worked, but there was always time for a home-cooked meal and lunch the next day for school. If you apply this concept to all potential expenses, you constantly ask yourself, “do I need to spend money on someone else doing it for me, or can I do it myself?”

Where are you from, and how did your upbringing impact who you are today?
I was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, by parents through adoption. Both my brother and I were adopted at 3 months old through the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto. Knowing that I was adopted was instilled from an early age — a tactic that was encouraged by social workers when my parents went through the adoption process. With that being said, where I came from was never important. Because I’m not “white” per se, I’ve lived my whole life being asked where I come from. However, as an adoptee, I’ve always felt Canadian, and being raised by mixed-race parents who embraced diverse cultures meant that our skin color didn’t matter. We never saw it as a disadvantage in any way. My parents were hard workers, and the value of education and empathy made up my ‘DNA’.

What is the most important factor behind your success/the success of your brand?
I think passion and honesty are the core of my success. As a small business, I am always happy to offer advice to another small business even if they can’t afford marketing and PR services. I have always said that our communities are richer when we act as a microcosm of businesses and services. Yes, competition is always out there, but we are bigger and stronger if we support each other in some way.

What value or principle matters most to you? Why?
Integrity. Stand by your principles and convictions even if you face criticism.

Work-Life Balance: How has your balance changed over time? How do you think about balance?
I am famous among my closest friends and family as someone who doesn’t stop working! I am doing better. However, when I take a vacation or time off, I don’t have any issues not to think about work. As a creative, “empty space” is important. When you reset, the canvas returns to blank or at least almost blank. It’s only then that you can build a concept into a beautiful work of art. That is my metaphor for life.

Disconnecting for me is an early morning run, a walk in the park or bird sanctuary with my camera, spending time near the ocean, cooking a meal, or planning a vacation.

What’s the end goal? Where do you want to be professionally at the end of your career?
With over 30 years of PR and marketing experience, I honestly feel that I am near the end of my professional career. Today, I am more focused on ‘passion projects’ and choose quality over quantity. If I don’t feel a deep connection to a project, I don’t take it on.

Why did you pursue an artistic or creative career?
I am business-minded by nature, and that’s what takes up the majority of my professional time and also what pays the bills. However, creative writing keeps me balanced. Editorial work far from pays the bills, but I love to seek out stories. In fact, I call myself a “story hunter”. Everyone has a story to tell. It’s just our job to identify them and give them a voice.

Tell us about a book and why you liked it and the impact that it had on you?
It’s hard to narrow it down to one book. However, I would say “Inside, Inside” by the late James Lipton, creator and host of “Inside the Actor’s Studio”. James Lipton interviewed celebrities, but instead of focusing on the gossip inside, he prepared questions that had his interviewees think deeply about themselves and careers. His style has impacted the way that I conduct interviews and remains true to my belief that everyone has a story to tell.

Lipton begins his book with the famous line from Charles Dickens’ “David Copperfield” that says, “Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must be shown.”

I interpret that as: we as humans, are on a journey coming across many other people who will impact our lives in both positive and negative ways. Sometimes we are the hero of our own story, but most importantly, we can be the conduit of sharing stories of others through our actions. It is through our collective actions that we can unfold stories that are life-altering and impactful.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I think the best time to visit Miami is during Art Basel/Miami Art Week. I would say that if you’ve never visited during this time, the first art fair that you should visit is Art Basel at the Miami Beach Convention Center. My favorite satellite art fairs are Design Miami, NADA, Art Miami, Untitled Art, SCOPE, Aqua, and Ink. Then, I would suggest visiting the Miami museums such as PAMM, MOCA North Miami, and ICA; and private collections such as the Margulies Collection, Rubell Museum, and Craig Robbins Collection. All of these visits can add up, so know that art is everywhere, and I love to visit the Design District and see the art galleries and installations in public spaces. While I the Design District, I highly recommend Michael’s Genuine and if you are in a hurry, visit the Mia Market Food Hall. If in Miami Beach, don’t miss dining at The Drexel.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am dedicating this Shoutout to my daughter Simona Morales, founder of Insignificant Other. Simona is a career musician and artist. She constantly inspires me to be an advocate for things that I believe in. Simona is not afraid to express her opinions and back them up with research and education. Simona is my cheerleader and always is there for me. I am in awe of her success and enjoy seeing her when she is on tour.

Website: https://liveinitalymag.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liveinitalymag/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/live-in-italy-mag/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LiveinItalyMag

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LiveInItalyMag

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiveInItalyMagazine/

Other: https://www.pinterest.com/liveinitalymag/ https://issuu.com/liveinitalymag

Image Credits
Michelle Vantine Photography Colls Fine Art Photography Antoine Martin Simona Morales